Diary of a Lieutenant To Be
by TheGirlWhoRemembers
Summary: Sequel to A Tale of Two Ensigns. Pavel Chekov, Ellen Lee and the Crew of the Enterprise depart on their five year mission.That's a long time to be away. Luckily for Pavel and Ellen, they've got each other. It doesn't help those engagement rumours though..
1. Who's the Captain?

AN: This is the sequel to A Tale of Two Ensigns and Confessions of a Teenage Starfleet Cadet. It is essential to have read at least A Tale of Two Ensigns first, or it will not make any sense. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>'Entering orbit Captain.'<p>

'Good work Mr Sulu. Ensign Lee, report.'

'Sensors indicate no recognisable life forms. Atmosphere is not breathable. Sensors are picking up some strange signals.'

'Looks like we've got ourselves a Class Y.'

'Captain, it is not advisable to send a large away team to a Class Y planet. According to Starfleet records, they are generally extremely dangerous. Many have been found to be inhabited by sentient beings that do not inhabit any other systems.'

'Noted, Mr Spock. Lt. Uhura, any transmissions from the surface?'

'No Captain.'

'Spock, Sulu, you're with me. Uhura, you're coming, in case we need a translator. Chekov, you've got the conn.'

Lieutenant Stevenson, the newest addition to Alpha Shift Bridge Crew raises an eyebrow.

'You're leaving an 18 year old in charge?'

'I'm 19! Eet vas my birthday-'

'No Stevenson, I'm leaving a 19 year old in charge. You're right though, Lee, you're his second. Just in case anything happens.'

'Captain, you cannot leave two 18 year olds-'

'I'm 19!'

'-in charge of a starship!'

'Stevenson, who's Captain here?'

'You are sir.'

'So I can leave Ensign Chekov and Ensign Lee in charge.'

The away team walk into the turbolift. Lieutenant Stevenson is still complaining. 'Children', 'only Ensigns', and 'Kirk's an idiot' can all be deciphered.

The Away Team beams down to the surface.

Kirk reports that they have arrived. At least, that's what they think he said. The planet seems to be interfering with their transmissions.

'Chekov, I'm detecting a strange disturbance. It's cutting our transmissions!'

Ellen's panicking.

'Ve have lost contact vith Avay Team?'

'Yes.'

Hawkins is frantically trying to resume communications. Ellen's sensors have gone haywire.

'Zis is bad.'

'I don't need you to tell me that!'

Sometimes, Pavel has a habit of pointing out the blatantly obvious. Ellen thinks that's not very helpful in the current situation.

'I told the Captain not to leave two kids in charge, especially two kids that are only Ensigns.'

'Vell, he left us in charge. I order you to be quiet Stewenson, you are not helping! Lee, vat is ze situation?'

'There appears to be something very similar to a cosmic storm centralised onto the planet. The strange thing is that it is totally contained in the atmosphere.'

'Ve need to re-establish contact vith Avay Team. Hawkins, Hannity, try to transmit a message to ze Keptain. Mr Scott, please come up to ze Bridge.'

'Ensign, I order you to step down and hand Command over to your superior Officers.'

Stevenson is complaining. He is also committing mutiny. Despite Chekov and Lee being Ensigns, the Captain has left them with the conn, so they are now, by regulation, Acting Captain and Acting First Officer, as the Captain and First Officer are indisposed.

'Stewenson, you know the regulations as vell as I do. Eef you do not return to your duties, I vill have you put in ze Brig.'

He opens his mouth to protest.

'Captain, permission to knock him out?'

'Permission denied Lee; though you may eef he continues to disobey orders.'

'I second that lad- I mean Captain!'

'Consider that the medically advised course of action too!'

Scotty and Bones walk in.

'Captain, I've lost all the signals from their monitors. Damn it, I'm going to kill Jim, if he isn't already dying of some alien disease!'

'I'm sure he's fine Doctor.'

'Doctor, please put Sickbay on standby. Mr Scott, ve need to find a vay to beam through cosmic storm.'

'That's not possible la-Captain.'

'I know eet's not, but if anyone can, eet's you. Get Engineering on eet.'

'I can't believe you're listening to the kid! I thought better of you Mr Scott!'

'Stewenson!'

'Shut up!'

'Aye! Captain's orders are Captain's orders.'

'I refuse to follow the orders of a 19 year old Ensign!'

'Security to Bridge, ve have a problem. Please escort Lieutenant Stewenson to ze Brig.'

Stevenson is escorted out, still going on about how he refuses to follow the orders of someone younger and lower in rank.

'Lee, find ze most senior members of ze Communications, Engineering, Science and Computers Departments and liaise between zem. Zey need to find vay to transmit and beam through cosmic storm. Report directly to me.'

'Aye Captain.'

* * *

><p>I don't own Star Trek, or anything else referenced, nor do I claim to own it.<p> 


	2. It's Going To Be a Very Long Day

Unfortunately, Lieutenant Stevenson was not alone. A fair number of crew refuse to follow the orders of a 19 year old Ensign. A fair few people end up in the Brig, in what Scotty jokes must be the biggest mutiny of all time.

'Thank you Mr Scott. I'm sure that made Chekov feel a lot better about himself.'

Ellen's tone is sarcastic, but both she and Pavel are feeling terrible. No one can take them seriously as the Acting Captain and First Officer it seems. Ellen remembers a conversation she had with Captain Kirk once.

_'Listen, if anyone ever gives you trouble, tell me. Nobody ever listens to an Ensign, but they'll listen to a Captain.'_

_'I don't think it's my rank that's the problem.'_

_He had been derisive of that. He had believed in them. Unfortunately Captain, you're not here right now. And if we can't get the crew to listen, we might never get you back._

She's snapped back to attention by the complaining of the Computers Department. They are refusing to acknowledge her as Acting First Officer, or Chekov as Acting Captain.

_If Wilkins was still here...Ensign Wilkins did not survive his injuries in the pirate attack. He may not have been high ranking, but he was well respected for his abilities among the Computers personnel._

'Captain Kirk, before he left, gave Ensign Chekov command. He designated me as second, should anything happen. As the Captain and First Officer of this ship are unable to command at this present moment, by Starfleet Regulations, we are now Acting Captain and Acting First Officer. You are required to work with Engineering, Science and Communications to devise a way to re-establish contact with and retrieve the Away Team, including the Captain. If you do not wish to get our Captain and Away Team back, or you want to be put in the Brig for mutiny, then disobey orders. Is that clear?'

The Lieutenant backs down reluctantly.

'Yes Ensign.'

'Thank you Lieutenant.'

_She just had to point out that I was junior in rank to her, didn't she? At least I've got them working now._

* * *

><p>'Captain, you wanted reports?'<p>

'Yes Lee. Vat have you got?'

'Work has just begun. From estimates, it could be days before we can make contact, let alone retrieve the Away Team.'

'Zere vere delays?'

'Yes Captain. I've spent the entire Beta Shift trying to get the various Departments to actually follow orders.'

'How many people do ve have in ze Brig?'

'Seventeen.'

'Zat is not good. Vat vill Keptain Kirk say?'

'I don't know. But we have to get them back.'

'Ve are in for a wery long few days.'


	3. It's Harder Than it Looks

Several long days later, they finally manage to re-establish contact with the Away Team. The Brig has not overflowed, much to everyone's disbelief, though this may have been helped by McCoy and Scotty doing everything they could to convince the Crew to listen to their very young Acting Captain and Acting First Officer, who are suffering sleep deprivation.

'Keptain, can you hear me?'

'Loud and clear Chekov. We've been unable to contact these last few days, what's going on?'

'Zere is cosmic storm on ze planet. Eet is atmosphere contained, but eet is blocking transmission. Ve have had to enhance ze sensors, transporters and communicators to allow for communication and retrieval of Avay Team.'

'Beam us up Chekov.'

'Yes Keptain!'

He has never been so glad to follow an order. As Captain Kirk materialises, he is greeted by shouts of joy from the Acting Captain and First Officer.

'Zank God!'

'Thank goodness you're back!'

'I take it that Command isn't as easy as you thought, eh?'

'Keptain, I don't know how you manage eet!'

'You too Commander Spock, how do you survive?'

'Captain, from the expressions of Ensign Chekov and Ensign Lee, I can infer that they encountered great difficulty during the 5 days, 17 hours, 10 minutes and 15 seconds that we were away.'

'I think that's pretty obvious Spock. What happened you two?'

'Damn it Jim! You could have told the rest of the Crew that you were leaving them in charge and that they should follow their orders! They spent a whole damn shift trying to get them to follow orders. They had more mutinies than the green blooded hobgoblin, the Brig is overflowing!'

'How many people did you have to put in the Brig?'

'Sewenteen, Keptain.'

'Including that Stevenson idiot?'

'Yes Captain.'

'I need to get you two promoted. You know, why didn't you get promoted after the Narada? You were actually assigned Alpha Shift Bridge Crew, most of the current Bridge Crew weren't, we got promoted, so why didn't you?'

He's got a point. But neither of them have any clue why.

'Uhura, contact Admiral Pike. Spock, report our findings. Bones, stop running me over with a Tricorder, I'm fine. Sulu, get us out of here. Chekov, Lee, go get some rest, I'll deal with the Crew. Security, get everyone out of the Brig and get them to report to me.'

He looks around and grins.

'It's good to be back.'

Both Pavel and Ellen are thoroughly glad that he's back too. Command is much harder than it looks.


	4. A Friendly Chat

'Hello Admiral.'

'Good to see you again, Jim. So what is the purpose of this conversation?'

'Can't I just call to chat?'

The Admiral indulges in a smile.

'You're on an exploration mission, Jim.'

'I am reporting on a new Class Y planet that we have just explored. I am classifying it uninhabitable, it has no native peoples and is also frequently plagued by cosmic storms, strangely located within the atmosphere.'

'Is it home to any weird creatures like living crystal or fire monsters or something?'

Kirk raises an eyebrow. He's been around Spock too long.

'Were you expecting there to be?'

'Well, most of the Class Y planets we've discovered have some weird life forms. I thought you may have found talking plants or something like that.'

'We didn't, Admiral. Sulu would have liked that though.'

'Sulu? The name is familiar.'

'Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, Helmsman aboard the Enterprise. He's the one who-'

'Yes, I remember now. He forgot to disengage the parking brake, right?'

'Yes Admiral, we haven't let him forget that.'

'Was there anything else you wanted to say?'

'Yes. I want to ask you to recommend two of my Crew for promotion.'

'Why?'

'For outstanding service. I believe they are unsung heroes from the Narada and deserve recognition. Without them, I would have perished on Vulcan, along with Sulu, Spock and the Vulcan High Council. We may not have been able to stop the Narada without their intellect.'

He nods in agreement.

'I will do my best. Who are these two exemplary crewmembers?'

'Ensign Pavel Andreievich Chekov and Ensign Ellen Wei-Ling Lee.'

For some reason, Pike looks distinctly uncomfortable.

'They're those two whiz kids, right?'

'Yes Admiral. Chekov is only nineteen and Lee is eighteen.'

'Well, to tell the truth, it's mostly due to me they're not Lieutenants at least.'

'I don't understand sir. Why?'

'Do you remember the ship assignments? We assigned ranks at the same time. Doctor McCoy was allocated Lieutenant Commander and Sulu and Uhura, Lieutenant. You were given a field promotion that ultimately lead you to Captaincy.'

'Wait, Chekov and Lee were the only ones who were actually assigned their roles. I was a field promotion, McCoy forced to promote because Dr Puri was killed, Sulu was a replacement and Uhura was ordered to relieve Hawkins. So that means they were considered more worthy for those roles, so why were they assigned lower ranks?'

'When they were assigned to Enterprise Bridge, I wasn't happy. You know, two Cadets, who were also just kids, in two of the most senior roles on the ship. I was eventually persuaded to give them a chance, but they were assigned the rank of Ensign, mostly due to their age.'

'They're not much older now.'

'They've earned the promotion. Unlike you.'

'Hey! I saved the-'

'I'm joking Jim. Out of curiosity, why are you asking now?'

'Well, I, along with Commander Spock and much of the senior Crew were stranded on this planet for days. I left Chekov with Command and Lee as his second.'

'Let me guess, they had to get you back, and the Crew wouldn't follow their orders?'

'Yes, that's right. They had seventeen mutinies.'

He chuckles.

'That's got to be a record. I'll see what I can do. Pike out.'

'Thanks Admiral. They'll appreciate it.'

Chekov and Lee are not going to be happy if they find out that they were assigned the rank of Ensign due to their youth. He's not going to tell them, but that'll be a useful titbit if he ever needs a favour of the Admiral.

* * *

><p>AN: I apologise if Pike is out of character, though he has a decent part in the movie, I'm just no good at writing him. But he does need to be in here, he's the only Admiral we know and probably the only one that Kirk would call!<p> 


	5. Time and Time Again

The entire Class Y Mutiny Incident affected the Enterprise's young Navigator and Bridge Science Officer more than they let on. Of course, they put up a brave face in front of the Crew, but when they're alone together the facade crumbles.

'Are we really too young to have Command of a starship, Pavel?'

'Zat's vat eweryone else zinks.'

'I thought we'd proved ourselves.'

'Perhaps ve are just too young. You have seen, zey do not zink of us as anyzing else zan cute.'

'But we are just as capable, aren't we? We managed 5 days in Command; we managed to retrieve the Away Team. Could they do any better?'

'Ve may soon see. I don't zink zat Keptain vill give us another chance.'

'Can't anyone see that we are just as capable as they are?'

He shakes his head sadly.

'In fact, I only dare say this in front of you, we may well be more capable, to even get here because we are so young.'

He nods. It sounds so egotistical, so immodest, that he only dares voice it with her. It is unspoken that this will never leave this room; they both trust their lover absolutely. It's been several days already, and it's getting harder to keep up their facade. It seems to be harder on Ellen actually, she was the one who had to go around giving out _his_ orders, she had to listen to people refuse to follow _his_ orders. It's been driving her to tears, night after night, curled up together in his quarters. She is a strong young woman, they endured disbelief in them at the Academy too, but finally, she has broken. It's breaking him apart too. He doesn't like seeing her unhappy. He knows it's because they thought that they had finally shown the world that they deserved their places on the Enterprise, only to have it all come crashing down. It is even worse that it is their fellow crewmembers who don't believe in them.

It comes as a welcome surprise then when they enter the Mess Hall one night after their shift to find that much of the Crew has organised a surprise impromptu party for them, as a thank you for running the ship for 5 days and an apology for the mutinies. Captain Kirk puts the icing on the cake by announcing that the absent Stevenson has been demoted from the Alpha Shift Bridge Crew.

Ellen remembers the conversation with the Captain. He really had believed in them, he knew they were worthy.

'_If they've got more brains than you or Chekov, I'll eat the universal translator!'_

'_Lieutenant Uhura, and consequently Commander Spock, would not be pleased Captain.'_

'_See? You've got more brains that all of them combined.'_


	6. Popular Female Life Form Activities

Contrary to popular belief, the women of the Enterprise do indulge in 'popular female life form activities' as it has been labelled. That is precisely why Nyota Uhura, Ellen Lee, Christine Chapel, Janice Rand and Caitlin Hannity are all sitting in the Rec Room, doing what women the universe over do: chat and gossip.

'So Christine, been seeing the Doctor lately?'

Caitlin Hannity quite enjoys her gossip. Perhaps it comes with being in Communications. The Nurse's cheeks tinge pink.

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'Oh come on Christine! Everyone knows about the two of you!'

Janice Rand is also very well caught up on the juiciest gossip of the day. It seems that the Yeomen find their entertainment in the social lives of the other Crew. You can't blame them; paperwork is ridiculously boring after all.

'I'm not so sure about that. I'm pretty sure Pavel hasn't worked it out yet.'

'Spock has.'

This causes some eye rolling.

'Of course he has Nyota! He's _Vulcan!_ They notice everything!'

They all unanimously agree. Spock's powers of observation are legendary.

Christine Chapel, glad that the conversation is steering away from her relationship with McCoy, decides to steer it further away, onto a new topic.

'Janice, how's it going with Kirk? Is our Captain still his usual self?'

The Yeoman's face falls. It is well known among this little group of friends that she is in love with the womanising Captain.

'You know Captain Kirk.'

They all nod, Captain Kirk's status as a womaniser is well known.

'People change, Janice. He'll realize what he's missing out on someday.'

'Do you think so Nyota? But even so, he's the Captain, and I'm just a Yeoman.'

'Everyone on this ship is important! The Enterprise wouldn't function if we didn't have Yeomen. Imagine all the unfinished paperwork, and the unfiled reports. Kirk knows how important you are, can you imagine him trying to finish his reports without you? Anyway, I don't think rank matters much to him; he left two Ensigns in charge of the ship, after all.'

The older women all smile. Nurse Chapel breaks the silence.

'I think Len would say that that's a very idealistic view on things, Ellen.'

She shrugs.

'Pavel's optimism rubs off.'

'Speaking of the Navigator, any truth in those engagement rumours?'

Gossip always cheers Janice up.

Ellen's cheeks turn pink and she puts her head in her hands.

'No! Where does everyone get those from?'

The others exchange glances and decide that it's best not to tell her that it's obvious they're going to get married, it's just a matter of when.

* * *

><p>AN: Please not that Caitlin Hannity is not the real or canon name of Lieutenant Hannity. Caitlin is simply the first name I gave her for the purpose of this story.<p> 


	7. It's My Birthday?

One morning, Ellen is woken by a knock on her door. She glances at the clock; she's still got a couple hours before she has to report for duty. She stands and stretches.

'Computer, open the door.'

The computer complies, as it always does. The door slides open, revealing Pavel Chekov, grinning.

'Happy Birthday Ellen!'

She'd forgotten it was her birthday. It's been so busy aboard, that she hasn't had time to think about trivial things like that. When she wasn't working, eating or sleeping, she was practicing taekwondo or spending every moment she could with Pavel.

He hands her a PADD.

'I know eet's not much, but before ve left, I asked your parents to give me some recordings and photos. I thought zat you vould miss zem, so-'

He doesn't get to say anything else, because she hugs him and starts crying.

'Thank you, thank you so much.'

She tries not to show it, but she misses her family dearly, as does he. They've only been gone less than a year, but family is family, and they're not going back for more than four. They sit there, inside her quarters, for quite some time, looking through the contents of the PADD, laughing and crying and reminiscing.

She brightens up considerably. He grins.

'Ve still have time before our shift. Time for a game of chess?'

She grins back.

'There's always time for chess, Pavel.'

When they arrive on the Bridge for their shift, the Captain has more good news. They've been promoted. Later that evening, Lieutenant Pavel Andreievich Chekov and Lieutenant Ellen Wei-Ling Lee both agree that today was one of the best days they've had in a long time.


	8. I Know What You Do

When you live aboard a starship with someone, you do pick up on their quirks. The Crew of the Enterprise has many, some of which are very amusing.

Captain Kirk suffers from bizarre allergies. It turns out that he is not only allergic to the vaccine for Melvaran Mud Flea virus, but he was also allergic to pollen from a newly discovered plant, plomeek soup and klavaatu.

Hikaru Sulu talks to plants. He really does. He spends much of his free time that is not spent fencing in the Arboretum or Botany Labs. There, all the plant samples are kept, including the species that Kirk is allergic to. Captain Kirk wanted to throw it away, but Sulu threatened to attack him with his sword, to hell if it was mutiny. Finally, the plant's fate was decided by Commander Spock, who declared that though the Captain suffered unfortunate reactions to certain portions of the plant that was not sufficient justification to deny botanists the chance to study this new species. Ellen walked into the Arboretum later that day to find Hikaru telling the plant that he 'won't let the big scary Captain throw you out' and that 'daddy won't let anyone hurt you.' She creeps off immediately, clutching her sides, trying to hold in her laughter.

Commander Spock gets drunk on chocolate. This was discovered by the Crew after an _unfortunate incident_, in which Captain Kirk _accidentally _put chocolate in Spock's plomeek soup. This was also how Kirk's allergy to plomeek soup was discovered. Although it seems that Vulcans are much easier intoxicated on chocolate than humans on alcohol, no one has succeeded in using this to their advantage, as Commander Spock has been very careful with his food and drink since.

Mr Scott talks to the Enterprise. Mr Scott is quite possibly in love with the Enterprise. Mr Scott talks about the Enterprise much like Kirk talks about women. Most people find this hilarious, but also ridiculously creepy. There's just something odd about it...

Nyota Uhura occasionally has outbursts in various languages. She swears in various languages that no one has heard before. Her last outburst was in Klingon, and unfortunately for her, the universal translator happened to be on at the time. It is quite bizarre that 'your mother has a smooth forehead' is apparently an extremely offensive statement for Klingons.

Doctor McCoy has an obsession with hypos and diseases. By now, the Crew are quite used to being vaccinated for various diseases that no one has heard of, or are found only on planets that they are not anywhere near. Ellen has lost track of all the vaccines that she's had, but believes that the vaccines for polio, smallpox and a disease that only affects Betazoids are totally unnecessary, as polio was eradicated in the 21st century, smallpox in the late 20th and she's not Betazoid. However, the paranoid Doctor believes that you can never be too careful.

Chekov is obsessed with Russia and takes great pride in it. He often states that many great inventions and discoveries were made by Russians, often, they are not. Every Enterprise crewmember knows that. However, not many know that he is extremely addicted to Tri-D Chess, or that he has an obsession with the stars, or that he has an irrational fear of eels. These are the things Ellen prides herself on knowing, the little quirks that make Pavel Chekov the Pavel Chekov that she loves.


	9. Let's Get Physical!

As Chief Medical Officer, Leonard McCoy knows that physicals have to be done. That doesn't mean that he has to enjoy the process. He decides to do the Captain first, so he has no warning and won't be able to escape. Naturally, he tries to wriggle out of it anyway.

'Jim, I'm going to put you on a diet if you don't try to lose some weight. You need more exercise.'

Kirk opens his mouth to protest, doubtlessly that he gets enough exercise running from angry natives or saving the world.

'Occasional overactivity does not count. Do something more regular.'

He's very glad that that particular one is over. Only several hundred more to go.

Spock's physical, of course, is easy. The First Officer is in perfect health, and he can't imagine him as anything else. Being healthy is logical after all. It seems that he has rubbed off on his wife as well; she's also in excellent health.

Scotty complains when he tells him to drink less. Doubtless, the Scotsman will not listen.

Sulu is very fit. Probably due to all the fencing. He never knew that fencing was such a good form of exercise.

Running is more conventional. Chekov never needed encouragement to run. He wonders why the kid even took it up in the first place. He must have been running for years, he won the Starfleet Academy Marathon at seventeen.

As part of the physical examinations, he observes what forms of exercise the crewmember does. He watches Sulu fence and it comes to no surprise that he can beat the few other amateur swordsmen and women aboard. It comes to surprise though when he watches Ellen spar with a burly Security Officer, and hold her own, even winning the bout. For some reason, he can't help but think of her as a physically weak young woman who needs protecting, which she obviously doesn't. Perhaps it has to do with her slim build and diminutive height.

He asks her, later, during her examination, why she took up taekwondo in the first place.

'You already know that I'm considered a genius and that I entered the Academy at thirteen. I skipped quite a few grades, and several were condensed for me as well, so I entered high school at nine. High school is tough, and teenagers can be mean, especially to those who are considered different. I started that very year, to learn to defend myself. The schoolwork came easily to me, so I spent most of my free time training. I got my black belt just before I entered the Academy.'

'You must have been badly bullied at school then.'

'I suppose I was. Pavel had it worse though. He's got scars, scars that were never removed, because he never told anyone.'

McCoy has seen these scars before. He's a doctor, of course he has. But he'd been told they were from accidents, falling out of trees, falling off a hoverbike, from the rash acts that young boys do. He'd asked if Chekov wanted them removed, and the kid had mumbled something about the Captain telling him that girls like scars. He assumed that he was somewhat proud of them. He was wrong. He didn't have them removed because though the scars would be gone, the effects are still permanent. To Chekov, their removal would mean nothing.

'Is that why he took up running?'

She nods.

'It was his escape, his way of looking after himself. He could run from his tormentors, and they'd never catch him. He ran to calm himself, to let out his anger, just like I did with my taekwondo.'

McCoy worries now, for his own daughter Joanna. She's growing up; she'll be in high school before he knows it. Will she suffer like this too?

Perhaps Ellen can sense his paternal worry. She does her best to ease it.

'Don't worry Doctor. Joanna will be fine. She's your daughter, you are a survivor, and she is too. And she's normal, Doctor, she's not different like Pavel and I were.'

McCoy knows that what she says is true, but he will still worry for Joanna. She's his daughter after all. He decides to ask her one more question. He wonders if she ever told anyone else why she took up her martial art. It's a rather personal reason after all.

'Does Chekov know?'

'Yes, he does. Until just then, he was the only person who knew. I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else.'

'I won't. Doctor-patient confidentiality.'

'Thank you Doctor.'

She leaves Sickbay. He's learnt from this physical. What she told him will help him with Joanna one day. It'll help him when they return to Earth and he sees his little girl again.

Later that evening, he expresses his worry to Christine. She too reassures him, saying that Joanna will be fine.

'I look forward to meeting her one day Len. From everything you've told me, she sounds like a wonderful girl.'


	10. Take a Chance

By a year and a half into the mission, you would think that the Crew have a gambling problem. There's the Poker Nights, which are almost always won by Captain Kirk, unless Commander Spock is playing. Vulcans have the perfect poker face, but Spock is probably the only poker-playing Vulcan, and he only plays at the request of the Captain or Lieutenant Uhura. Ellen knows that Pavel is always trying to win a game, but being able to count huge numbers of cards doesn't really help if your poker face is terrible.

Betting is also extremely popular. Wagers are made on absolutely anything, from who the Captain slept with last night, to when Commander Spock and Lieutenant Uhura will have a baby. The Crew seem to enjoy betting on the personal lives of the senior Officers. The wagers don't always include credits, when it comes to gambling, pretty much anything goes. Some of the more exotic wagers include a date with Captain Kirk, a bottle of Romulan ale, a Rikka flower plant and a modified hyperspanner, respectively wagered by Captain Kirk, Captain Kirk again, Sulu and Scotty.

Pavel wagers a bottle of vodka that Hikaru cannot grow some unusual alien plant. Ellen tries to caution him against it. He doesn't listen. He loses. There is nothing Hikaru Sulu cannot do with plants. So Hikaru Sulu wins the bottle of vodka.

'I told you not to bet against Hikaru and plants. Are you going to listen to me from now on?'

He shakes his head resolutely.

'Nyet. I vill vin next time!'

But he doesn't. Commander Spock has a word of advice for him.

'Mr Chekov, it is in your best interest to follow the advice of Ms Lee, from my personal observations, female humans are more often correct.'

Ellen cannot help to laugh at that. Pavel still gambles, though perhaps not as much. He must have some secret stash of vodka hidden away somewhere. If only she had thought more of it. In hindsight, she will wish that she had.


	11. In Memoriam

It is only mere weeks later when she finds him. He's in his quarters, an almost empty bottle of vodka in his hands. He's obviously drunk and tears are flowing down his cheeks. This is the worst she's ever seen him.

'Pavel, what's wrong? Stop drinking, you'll be ill!'

He refuses to stop.

'Eet's bad luck not to finish a bottle.'

He pulls a glass from nowhere and pours her a little. She sips gingerly, knowing that it is better for his health if she finishes the bottle.

'Why?'

She doesn't understand why her generally cheery, sensible and optimistic boyfriend is drinking himself ill, crying, alone in his quarters.

'News from my family. My grandfather ees dead.'

She remembers the cheerful old man from her visit two years ago. He had been healthy then, but at his age, you never know. He had been the one who had taught Pavel about the stars, the planets. He knew the constellations better than anyone she'd ever met, and had passed that knowledge down to his grandson. He and Pavel had been very close. She sits beside him and places her hand on his.

'I'm sorry.'

'I didn't get to say goodbye. I von't be zere for ze funeral.'

'I know Pavel, I know.'

'I miss him. I thought zat he vould be zere ven ve got back.'

'You still have the memories. No one is truly gone until they have been forgotten.'

He nods, but it's an empty gesture. He reaches for another bottle, he seems to have either replicated many bottles or kept a secret stash. If he starts another bottle, he will insist on finishing. That would probably kill him. She reaches out to stop him.

'Pavel, please don't! You already look terrible! You'll get alcohol poisoning if you drink anymore!'

'I vant to forget, forget zat he is dead.'

'Pavel, he would want you to celebrate and remember his life, not try and forget his death! Remember, he told us that death is the next greatest adventure? You told me he loved adventures.'

He gently brushes her hand aside. He could very well die or be very ill if she lets him drink another bottle. She cups both sides of his face in her hands, forcing him to look her in the eyes.

'Please stop Pavel! Please! Your grandfather would have told you to stop, he wouldn't want his favorite grandson dead of alcohol poisoning! He would want him to live a long life, get married, have children, live to tell his grandchildren stories!'

That brings back memories, somewhere, in his alcohol fogged mind, of some of the last words his grandfather ever said to him.

Заботьтесь о той девушке. Она - хранитель, точно так же как ваша бабушка. Думайте обо мне, когда Вы называете детей, не так ли?

_Look after that girl. She's a keeper, just like your grandmother. Think of me when you name the kids, won't you?_

He releases his grip on the bottle and allows Ellen to take it from him and lock it back into the storage compartment. He lets her fetch him a glass of water and make him drink it. She picks up all the reminders of his binge and disposes of them.

'Sleep Pavel, sleep and be calm.'

He awakes the next morning with his head cradled in her lap. He feels terrible. He glances at the clock. They are late for their shift. The Captain will kill them. Slowly getting up, he shakes her awake.

'Ellen, ve are late! I'm sorry!'

She jerks awake immediately, and they hurry off to the Bridge, hoping that Captain Kirk isn't too upset.

He isn't. They are thankful for their Captain's understanding. He sends Pavel to Sickbay and gives him the day off. That evening, after his blistering hangover has faded, they sit and play chess. Chess has always been a good distraction. It was his grandfather who taught him the game of chess.

'I'm sorry for making you late zis morning.'

'Don't worry about it Pavel, I'm just glad you're feeling a little better. When my great-grandmother died, I was an absolute wreck. You're holding together very well.'

He didn't know that her great-grandmother was dead. He'd never met her.

'Ven?'

'She died just before I started at the Academy. It was sudden and there was no time for me to go to China to say goodbye, or attend the funeral. I was a wreck those first days, getting lost, losing things.'

'How long does eet hurt for?'

She looks into his eyes, and hers mirror the sadness in his.

'The pain doesn't go away Pavel. It's always going to be there. It will lessen every day, but it will never go away. There is nothing that we can do, nothing we ever do will bring back the dead. We've just got to on living. When she died, I threw myself into Starfleet; it just helped me to cope, I suppose. I needed something to keep me busy then; it took time before I was ready to think about it. I know you needed to forget last night, but I would never have forgiven myself if anything happened to you. Just try and remember all the good times you had.'

As sleep claims him that night, he remembers.

_I'll name my first son for you grandpa. I didn't forget. I won't forget. I promise._


	12. Just as Bad

It's Hikaru Sulu's 24th birthday. The Crew is having a party. Sulu is checking out girls. In other words, everything is normal. Ellen and Pavel are chatting quietly when he comes up and points out a girl from the Science Department.

'What's her name?'

Pavel opens his mouth to speak; they are acquaintances through Ellen, who is friends with her. Ellen elbows him in the stomach and shakes her head. He bends over in pain. She can really hurt him sometimes.

'I'm not telling you Hikaru. And neither is Pavel.'

'I'm not?'

'No you aren't.'

'Okay zen. Sorry Hikaru.'

'And why not?'

'Because I'm not letting you go after her. I'm not letting the Captain either, so please tell him.'

'I never knew you thought so low of me. I am a gentleman you know. The Captain might not be, but I am. Why anyway? Did she take a vow of celibacy or something?'

'Hikaru, why do you even want to know?'

He shrugs.

'I've seen her in the Arboretum and the Botany Labs a lot. I'd just like to get to know a fellow botany enthusiast.'

'Ellen, zere isn't any harm in telling Hikaru her name. He ees not like ze Keptain.'

'He's almost as bad sometimes, Pavel. Okay, I'll tell you. But make me a promise.'

He knows he's not going to get it out of her if he doesn't, so half heartedly agrees.

'Fine.'

'I don't want you going after her because she was Ensign Wilkins' fiancée. I know he died two years ago, but just before we went to fight those pirates, he asked me to promise him that I'd look out for her if anything happened to him. I don't know how, but I think he had a feeling that something would happen to him. We didn't know her at the Academy because she was a year below us. I'm keeping that promise now, so don't you dare try Hikaru.'

'I won't. On my katana, I won't go after her.'

'She's a botanist, that's why she's always in the Botany Labs or the Arboretum. Ensign Nalinika Jaysinghe.'

Sulu walks off, luckily not in her direction.

'I didn't know zat Vilkins had a fiancée.'

'Neither did I, until he asked me to make that promise in a crater on Titan.'

'Vy you? Vy not anyone else?'

'I don't know. Perhaps because I was closest in age to her.'

'Do you zink zat Hikaru vill try anyzing?'

'I hope not. She still misses him you know. They were supposed to get married right after she graduated, just before the five year mission. She was so relieved that he survived the Narada, but then to hear that he was killed by pirates…'

'Zat vould have been terrible.'

'Sometimes, I feel terrible for her. You know I was there when he was fatally injured. I should have been able to-'

'Eet's not your fault. Three people cannot fight so many pirates. Ve should not have left ze Techs alone. Eet is really not one person's fault. Ve are in Starfleet, eweryone knows ze risks.'

She cheers up, it's been over two years and you can't dwell too much on the past.

'You're right. Thank you. What would I do without you, Pavel?'

'I don't know and I don't vant to find out.'

'Neither do I.'

He looks around the room and spots a drunk McCoy and Chapel. He freezes in shock.

'Doctor McCoy and Nurse Chapel are-'

You'd think that he had been told that Hikaru had a daughter.

'You're three years late, Pavel.'

* * *

><p>AN: I know Chekov's a lot happier now, and it seems strange for him to be cheering up, but I think that he'd keep going on. A couple months have also passed. I also couldn't bear to keep him miserable.<p> 


	13. I Warned Him

Ellen's best friend, apart from Pavel, of course, is Ensign Nalinika Jaysinghe, botanist, and it's not just because of the promise either.

Having been a year under them at the Academy, she is not too many years older than Ellen, at 23. Though she is a botanist, and not a genius, and they apparently have nothing in common, strangely, they bond and a routine is set.

They meet every morning for breakfast, at 0730 hours. Pavel sometimes joins them, but usually does not arrive for breakfast until 0740, so they have a few minutes alone. By 0730, Ellen has been up for one and a half hours. Nalinika has only been up half an hour. She is not a morning person, unlike Ellen and Pavel. They wake up at 0600 and dress quickly in their exercise attire. By 0610, they are out the door, heading to the Gym, which is really a large complex, comprising gyms with the latest fitness equipment, a dojo or sparring area, a running track and countless other areas for every form of exercise possible.

Ellen practices taekwondo and Pavel runs. Occasionally, they join the other in their chosen activity. Usually, they spend some time on gym equipment as well. Often they are joined by Hikaru, who fences, usually sparring with Ellen. He and Pavel usually stay a little longer, Pavel likes to finish running a certain distance and Hikaru always oversleeps slightly, arriving a little later than they do. Then at 0710, she's back to her quarters to clean up and get into uniform, ready for the day ahead. Then it's to the Mess, for breakfast with Nalinika.

At 1600, after shift, Nalinika goes to the Gym. It's important to stay fit, and as she point blank refuses to wake up so early, after Alpha Shift is the best time to go. Ellen spends time with Pavel and then it's to the Mess for dinner.

So it worries Ellen when Nalinika is late for breakfast one morning. She's never late. She might not like waking up in the morning, but she would never risk being late for her shift, or being late for her precious plants.

She shows up at 0747. Pavel is not here yet, neither is Hikaru. That is unusual.

'Sorry I'm late Ellen. I ran into some trouble on my way here.'

Ellen nods. So that is what it is. Nalinika is a very beautiful young woman, and as such is often subject to propositions by the male members of the Crew. She has turned every single one of them down. She's not ready to date again, let alone love again. Some of them don't take it well. Ellen does not like it when they do.

'Who was it this time? One of those guys from Engineering? Security?'

She shakes her head.

'Hikaru already took care of him.'

'Hikaru? Hikaru Sulu? The Helmsman? Pavel's friend?'

'Yes, Ellen. Hikaru Sulu. Who is not only Pavel's friend, but also yours. Why haven't I met him before?'

'Um, well-How did you meet him?'

'Well, he and Pavel happened to walk past myself and Ensign Tran from Engineering.'

'That guy? I told him last month-'

'He's persistent. Anyway, Hikaru and Pavel walked past, and happened to overhear. Hikaru had his katana with him, he'd been fencing, and he took care of him.'

Ellen is speechless.

'We're going to look at some of those alien specimens together this afternoon, after Alpha Shift.'

Ellen's jaw drops to the floor.

_She warned him!_

So she asks Pavel to interrogate Hikaru for her. He reports back that Hikaru has no interest in Nalinika except as friends. She trusts his judgement. Perhaps she had thought too low of him after all, that is, until Pavel reports that Hikaru has a date with Yeoman Munro tomorrow night. Then she decides that though he is honourable, he is as much a player as she thought.


	14. Haggis, Borscht and Baba Yaga

At the beginning of the third year, she finds him trying to reprogram a replicator in Engineering.

'Pavel, what are you doing?'

'Reprogramming ze replicator for Mr Scott.'

'I can see that. Why?'

'Because he has saved our liwes so many times. And eet's his birthday soon; at least zat is vat Keenser said.'

It is definitely true that Scotty has saved all their lives time and time again. He ejected the warp core to get them away from the black hole, he beams them up, away from angry natives, he managed to get them out of that magnetic field around the last planet they visited. She's not sure about the birthday bit.

'Is it a surprise?'

'Da. I am programming eet to make haggis.'

'Don't you think he'll notice that you're working on it?'

She's very much right. Scotty comes around the corner. Pavel mouths 'distract him' to her and she nods.

'Good morning Mr. Scott!'

'It's afternoon lass.'

'Oh. It is?'

'Aye. Are you feeling alright?'

'I'm fine.'

'What's the lad doing to the replicator?'

That didn't go very well. Ellen is not the greatest actress or liar. Her eyes are a little too wide when she tries to feign innocence, though perhaps only Pavel would know that.

'He's, um, programming the replicator! To make, erm, Russian borscht!'

'The lad misses his borscht?'

'Yes! Although anything made by the replicator won't be as good as his Mama's, it's better than nothing, right?'

She crosses her fingers behind her back and hopes that he doesn't ask why Pavel's programming the replicator in Engineering.

'Aye. I understand. I miss my Maw's cooking too. She makes great haggis.'

'Yes. Pavel's mother is a wonderful cook. In fact, she told me this story once...'

So Ellen spends the next couple of hours telling Scotty the stories of Pavel's childhood that his mother told her, when she visited Russia three years ago. Finally, he finishes modifying the replicator and surprises the Engineer.

'Thank you lad! It's not me birthday though, Keenser's lying to you! It's a pure dead brilliant idea though!'

They leave a ridiculously happy Engineer tucking into a large plate of haggis.

'Did you really have to tell Mr Scott zose stories?'

'Well, you asked me to distract him.'

'You had to tell him zat I vas scared of Baba Yaga ven I vas little? Or zat-'

'I'm sorry Pavel. He'll probably forget, I mean, the haggis will keep him busy for a long time. I'll make it up to you, I promise! Those stories are really cute though.'

She remembers how much he detests being called cute.

'Sorry! I didn't mean to, it just sort of slipped out, I'm really-'

'Eet's okay. I don't mind eef you call me cute, but no one else can!'

'I'm special then?'

'Da. Wery special.'

They finish the walk back to her quarters in comfortable silence. They pause at her door.

'Remember ze promise you made earlier?'

She rolls her eyes in mock annoyance.

'Of course _you_ remember.'

* * *

><p>AN: This chapter is very cliche in terms of food choices, but considering that Scotty drinks scotch and Chekov drinks vodka, it's not much of a stretch that Scotty likes haggis and Chekov likes borscht, right?<p> 


	15. Do You Know Where Babies Come From?

'Ellen, I am vorried about Lieutenant Uhura.'

'Why, Pavel?'

'I vas in Sickbay yesterday, and she vas zere for checkup, she told Dr. McCoy zat she vas throwing up constantly. She looked pale, I zink zat she ees wery ill!'

Ellen smiles. He's the youngest child, youngest cousin, no sisters; he couldn't be expected to know after all.

'If my suspicions are correct, Lieutenant Uhura is perfectly fine, and we will be giving congratulations to her and Commander Spock soon.'

'Vat? I do not understand Ellen!'

She just laughs.

'Pavel, you know where babies come from, right?'

'Of course I do! I am twenty one years old! Anyvay, _you_ know perfectly vell zat I do! Vait, are you saying zat Lieutenant Uhura ees-'

'Don't tell anyone yet, but I'm pretty sure she is.'

* * *

><p>Turns out that Ellen was indeed right. Spock and Uhura are expecting. Most of the Enterprise, particularly the female Crew, descends into a sort of frenzy, talking with Uhura about baby names, morning sickness and goodness knows what else.<p>

'I feel sorry for Mr. Spock and Uhura. Zey have to put up vith all zis, just because zey are having a baby! Ven ve have-'

He cuts himself off and hopes that she didn't notice. If she did, she doesn't point it out.

'I vonder vat zey vill call ze child?'

He crosses his fingers and hopes that distracts her.

'They will probably name him or her after his mother, to pay respect.'

'Da, I vant to name our first son after my grandfather. Viktor Pavlovich Chekov, eet has a nice ring to eet, does eet not?'

'It's bad luck in Chinese culture to name children after people. We try to keep names, particularly our Chinese names, as unique as possible.'

She sees his face fall slightly. She knows that he wants to honour his grandfather, but will follow her traditions as well.

'Pavel, our children will be half Russian and half Chinese. We'll honour both of our cultures, in some way or another. We have time before we have to think about this anyway, I'm not pregnant! We aren't planning on having kids anytime soon! We're not even married!'

'Eet's nice to talk about ze future sometimes though. Anyvay, you don't have to be married to have children.'

'I'd prefer marriage before children, Pavel. But I agree, it's nice to talk about the future. There's just something about making plans for the future that gives you hope, even if that future doesn't happen.'

He doesn't tell her that he desperately wants that future, or how he hopes it's a lot closer than she thinks. She'd told him that she'd wanted to wait a few years first, but it's been two and a bit now, and he doesn't want to wait.

But if she wants to wait, than wait he shall.


	16. I Think Otherwise

'I vant you to teach me how to fight.'

She never expected him to ask that. Especially not now, battered and bruised in Sickbay. A relatively routine negotiation mission with the natives of a planet gone awry. The leader had wanted to sign the treaty, to join the Federation, but it seems his people had not. They had reacted violently, the battle ending with the death of the King and placing the planet under the rule of anti-Federation factions. They had fled the planet, losing lives in the process.

_Lieutenant Stevenson, Communications_

_She hadn't liked the man, but it was still a life lost too soon._

_Ensign Lopez, Security_

_She remembers a young woman, with a bright smile._

_Ensign Michaels, Computers_

_They'd fought side by side, all those years ago._

There were also many injuries. She is unharmed, having not been part of the Away Team. Pavel is nursing two broken ribs, a black eye and a broken ankle. He's to stay in Sickbay overnight.

'You already know how, Pavel. You're better with a Phaser than I'll ever be.'

He shakes his head.

'Anyone can fire a Phaser. Ve are both at Starfleet standard. I mean to fight like you can, vithout veapons.'

'I can't Pavel, I'm sorry. I'm not that good myself, or of high enough level.'

'You are good. I've seen you fight. Please, ewen just a little.'

'You don't really need it. By all reports, you held your own pretty well.'

He might seem harmless, but he's actually rather capable of defending himself. Sadly, it's because of those tough years at school. All Starfleet Officers have had combat training, and he can handle himself.

'I can do better. I vill do better.'

She sees that he will not give up, or rest until she gives him her word that she will teach him.

'I'll teach you some self defence. But you know it's better if you don't ever have to use it.'

He nods. McCoy walks in. Ellen stands to leave, knowing that the Doctor prefers having no one unnecessary around.

'Damn it, just stay in here! It's better than hearing complaints and having you moping like a kicked puppy!'

She wasn't going to complain or mope, but she's not about to question him. He doesn't usually indulge them so much.

Nurse Chapel will comment on that later that night.

'You're getting soft Len.'

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

She rolls her eyes.

'Letting Ellen stay in the Examination Room with Chekov? You're getting soft.'

'Damn it, woman, I'm not! She'd bug me to death if I didn't!'

'Keep telling yourself that. You know she wouldn't.'

Of course she's right. Deep down, below that grumpy, cynical exterior, is a soft centre, one that not many people know exists. Christine Chapel knows. She's one of the few who actually gets to see it.

'Damn it, I'm a doctor, not some sensitive guy!'

'Of course you are Len, of course you are.'

'Damn it, darlin'! Aren't you supposed to back me up?'


	17. I'm a Nawigator, Not a Love Doctor!

Pavel Chekov answers the door of his quarters one night, expecting to find Ellen. Hikaru Sulu is there instead. That's surprising. As they share a bathroom, usually he just comes through that whenever he wants something or needs to talk, much to Pavel's annoyance. Sometimes he'd just like some privacy. So why is he at the door?

'Hikaru! Eet's a vonderful surprise!'

The older man smiles.

'Hi Pavel. I came to get some advice.'

'Adwice? From me?'

'Yeah, well since you're the guy in a relationship-'

'You vant love adwice?'

Pavel is rather sceptical. From everything he knows, Hikaru does fine as he is.

'I'm good with the short relationships, you know, one night stands, that sort of stuff. But it's been a very long time since I've had a long one, and I mean- I just need some help!'

'Vait, you are in love? Hikaru Sulu ees in love? Tell me about eet!'

'Yes, I am Pavel. And I don't know how to tell her. You must have told Ellen at some point, how did you do it?'

'I told her just after ze Narada, ven ve vere going back to Earth. Eet vasn't hard zen, she brought eet up, and ve'd both decided to tell zen.'

'Oh. That would have made it easier, I guess.'

'But I did try to tell her ven ve vere at ze Academy. For her sewenteenth birthday, I gave her flowers. I did lots of research on vat different flowers mean. Yellow tulips, red tulips-'

'Declaration of love. She didn't get it? This girl would, she's a botanist, she loves plants.'

'Hikaru, just tell her! Eet can't be too bad! Who ees zis girl?'

'Umm, you won't tell Ellen, will you?'

'I vill try my best not too, but she ees good at making me tell her stuff.'

'It's Nalinika Jaysinghe, the girl she made me promise not to go after. I've been talking to her and working with her, just as friends, I swear!'

It's a week later when he walks in on them kissing in the Botany Lab. He turns nervously to Ellen who is beside him, and hopes that she doesn't kill Hikaru or himself.

She's smiling. He can't believe it. She made Hikaru promise that he wouldn't go after Nalinika, they're kissing, and she isn't killing him? She interprets the disbelief on his face correctly, and answers.

'When I made Hikaru promise not to go after her, I was testing him. I'm not going to let anyone break her heart again, so I figured if he was seriously in love with her, he would actually go after her anyway. They make such a cute couple; I'm not breaking them up now!'

He sees her reasoning. Hikaru promised on his katana that he wouldn't and for him to break that promise, it would have taken a lot. Still, she tricked everyone, including him.

'Vy do you have to be so tricky?'

'But you like it, don't you?'

He can't really deny that.


	18. Something Fishy

It's the start of the fourth year. Spock and Uhura become proud parents to a little boy. He's a fairly quiet child, with slightly pointed ears. It seems that Vulcan genes are extremely dominant. It is quite bizarre to see the First Officer as a doting first time father.

Starfleet sends them to a small Federation colony suffering from pirate attacks. The senior commanding officer was recently killed by said pirates, and his much younger, rather inexperienced second in command is now in charge. They are to assist in capture or defeat of these pirates.

'Welcome to the middle of nowhere. I'm Lieutenant Mathison.'

A young Scandinavian man, perhaps in his mid-to-late-twenties, shakes Kirk's hand.

'Captain Kirk. We heard you had a pirate problem.'

'Yes, we do. They've been raiding the colony, the people are too scared to go out after dark or alone, they've lost most of their crops and valuables too.'

'Well, could I give my Crew some shore leave? We've just had a couple years with none, they need it.'

'Captain, we have a mission to accomplish. It is against regulations-'

'Loosen up Spock, we can call them back when we need to go fight these pirates, it's not as if we need the whole Crew anyway.'

'It's fine with us, really. It'll comfort the colonists to have Starfleet Officers walking around anyway. There's only a few of us on this rock.'

So the most of the Crew go on shore leave, while the senior members go to Starfleet's tiny base, to plan their course of action. It is decided that Captain Kirk will lead a small team out to recon, accompanied by Ensign Carter, the new second in command.

'Sulu, Chekov, you're with me. Bones, Scotty, you've got stuff to do, right? Spock, go back onboard, spend some time with Uhura and your son.'

'Captain-'

'We're not going to need you. That's an order. Lee, you stay here, help out Mr Mathison.'

So Scotty, Bones and a reluctant Spock return to the Enterprise while Sulu, Kirk, Chekov and Carter head to the last known location of the pirate base, leaving Ellen with Mathison.

The Captain was right, it's pretty routine, they're still there, fairly lightly guarded, but they'll need a bigger team to take them out, and lots of planning. They also need to talk to the colonists, so that they can prevent another similar infestation. For Pavel, it's a pretty decent day. That is, until he returns to the base.

His girlfriend is chatting to another man. His girlfriend is laughing with another man.

'Call me Anton.'

'Ellen.'

As she stands to leave the room, Pavel hears something that really does make his blood boil.

'It was nice meeting you Ellen; you're here for a while, catch up sometimes?'

She smiles.

'Why not?'

_Why not? Why not? You're my girlfriend. _

So he tells her that he overheard the conversation. He tells her what he thinks. She's not happy, to say the least.

'Pavel, I have every right to have male friends! I'm not your property or something! Anyway, you don't care that I'm friends with Mr Spock, Scotty, Hikaru, Dr McCoy or Captain Kirk!'

'Mr Spock ees a married Wulcan, Scotty ees almost twice our age and vell, he's Scotty, he loves ze Enterprise, Hikaru ees my best friend and ve have known him for years, Dr McCoy ees more like your father and Keptain Kirk, vell I have giwen up on him.'

'So you just feel threatened. Trust me Pavel, I'm faithful to you, I love you. Don't worry about him; it's only going to be friends, nothing more.'

_I'm not worried about what you might do; I'm worried about what he might do._

Chekov decides then and there that he doesn't like Lieutenant Anton Mathison. And it's not just because he's charismatic, good -looking and is going after his girlfriend either. Isn't it a bit fishy that his commanding officer was killed by pirates _before_ the raids started on the colony? And that Mathison is supposedly totally powerless to stop them, when they aren't really that powerful anyway?

Of course when he mentions this to anyone, they think he's just jealous of the growing friendship between Ellen and Mathison. He's determined to prove them wrong.

* * *

><p>AN: I have decided not to name Spock and Uhura's son (sorry All Cats Are Grey, great suggestions!). I felt that it was rather unecessary and that most people probably have an idea of what they'd name him, so just think of him as whatever you'd like!<p> 


	19. Sugar, Spice, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

It's a week later, and tomorrow they're going to attack the pirates. Chekov is still moping and snooping around, trying to catch Mathison out. But it seems that the man is perfect, he hasn't any proof. Rather discouraged, he slumps down beside a wall. Though logically it is now glaringly obvious that he is the perfect Starfleet Officer, loyal and dutiful, Pavel is certain that he is not. He is certain that there is a lot more to Anton Mathison than meets the eye.

He sees a little girl being chased by some older children, who are calling her names. He steps in on her behalf and the others scurry off home.

She smiles at him.

'You're nice. Not like the other one. He's really mean. I saw him talking to a scary guy yesterday.'

_Other one? Could she mean Mathison? Scary guy? Could she possibly be talking about a pirate?_

'Eet's no problem. Vere did you see zem?'

She points in the direction of a field full of crops and scurries away, stopping to hug him around the middle.

He sets off towards the indicated field, hoping to finally get proof.

* * *

><p>'<em>Wow, you discovered a way to beam falling objects? That's brilliant!'<em>

'_Well, Pav- Lieutenant Chekov and I discovered it together.'_

'_You know Ellen; you're the smartest girl I've ever met.'_

Ellen thinks back to her conversation with Anton as she waits in his office for him. He's just had to go outside to take a call on his communicator. She steps closer to the door, checking whether he's finished.

'I'll be there. No, they don't suspect. These Starfleet heroes are really gullible. They think that I'm in the clear.'

She pulls out her Phaser. Something here is not right, and she's going to confront Anton when he walks back in.

'You've got some explaining to do. Who were you talking to?'

'How much did you hear?'

'Enough to know. You're a traitor, aren't you?'

She's shaking. He smirks.

'You really are clever. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for you to hear that.'

He whips out his own Phaser, a shot is fired, and before she can react, she's limp, still and lifeless.

* * *

><p>Chekov shifts uneasily. He's been hiding in the field of crops for nearly an hour, and nothing has happened yet. He hears voices approaching, and stiffens.<p>

'They will attack tomorrow, at 0800 hours. Be prepared, they'll put up a good fight.'

The voice sounds familiar. It's Mathison. He's telling someone their attack plans.

'Be ready. Those Starfleet idiots won't be expecting the extra firepower. They're walking right into our trap.'

But who is he speaking to? The other voice soon responds.

'Yeah, yeah, we will. When are we getting our payment? We've stolen all that stuff, killed that Commander guy, we made a deal, didn't we?'

_The pirates. He's speaking to a pirate. He's selling them out! He's got to warn everyone!_

'You get your money when I've got the Enterprise.'

'You promised-'

'Well, how about I let you keep all the loot. Consider it interest.'

Pavel is confused. Why would he turn traitor just for the Enterprise?

The pirate leaves. Mathison turns to follow, but hesitates. Pavel holds his breath, he can't get caught.

'I know you're there. Show yourself, Lieutenant.'

Pavel doesn't move. Bad idea. The next thing he knows, he's got a Phaser pointed at him and Mathison's face is contorted with fury.

'You don't know what's good for you, do you? Snooping around, eavesdropping. You'll have to go the same way as your little girlfriend then, I can't have you telling on me.'

_Did he kill her? He prays that he didn't, the bastard._

He struggles to use the self defence Ellen has taught him and his combat training. It's no use. Mathison's a combat specialist. There's a blast of light, and all fades to black.


	20. Love Never Dies

'Pavel! Pavel, wake up! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, just wake up!'

Someone is shaking him, calling him. He opens his eyes.

'E-Ellen? You're alive? I thought zat-'

Her worried face is looming over him.

'Yes, it's me, Pavel. I'm fine. Be careful, he wasn't very gentle dragging you in here. You were out cold.'

He tries to sit up and winces. They're locked up in one of the cells in the base; the ones that he helped improve three days ago. There's no way they can get out.

_He's got cheek, locking me in a cell that I essentially rebuilt!_

'Vere is Mathison?'

'He's gone. He threw you in here and left.'

'Ve have to varn ze Keptain! Eet's a trap! Ze pirates-'

'Are ready and waiting. They're a lot stronger than we thought. He's paying them to do his bidding. They've already killed the original commanding officer, pillaged and scared the colonists, done enough to get Starfleet's attention. Then they're going to capture the Crew and take over the Enterprise. Then I think he wants to use the Enterprise to fight Starfleet with or something.'

_She knows? How?_

'How do you know? I only just owerheard him talking to ze pirates.'

'He likes to gloat. I overheard him on the communicator, and he stunned me. When I came to, I was in here. He knows that I can't get out, he took my communicator, so he decided to divulge all his plans.'

'I thought zat he killed you!'

'Killed me? No, he's cleverer than that. He had to make sure no one would suspect. So he let Captain Kirk put everyone on shore leave and-'

'He made you fall in love vith him-'

'I didn't fall in love with him, Pavel! I love _you_! I wouldn't _cheat_ on you!'

'He ees charming, handsome and charismatic. You spent all your time vith _him_!'

'He's not like you, Pavel. He charms and compliments. You're less _open_ I suppose. I let myself become, charmed, I guess. But I did not fall in love with him!'

'Vat are you saying? Less open? Ees-'

'It's not always a bad thing. Better to not say something than to lie. He's a liar, a filthy liar and a silver tongued flatterer! I always know that what you tell me is true. I know you're never going to hurt me. Please, just please, forgive me. I never meant for this to happen!'

There's silence. There's tension. And finally he breaks.

'I should have told you vat I suspected, shouldn't I? Vell, I forgive you. But you know Ellen, you're the smartest girl I know, but you can be wery stupid sometimes, being tricked so easily.'

Little does he know that his words are much like Mathison's. But somehow, his words are more genuine, more real, with his little addition, the mock insult.

She smiles, wanly, but it's a smile nonetheless.

'I know I can, but you're just as naive as I, aren't you?'

'Da, but I didn't fall for eet, did I?'

'You would have if you weren't the jealous type.'

'I vasn't jealous!'

'Yes you were!'

They bicker, even though it's the wrong thing to do. They should be trying to contact the Enterprise, or trying to escape, but they do it anyway. It's then that they both know their relationship will survive. True love is enduring, and can only be built over months and years, not mere days. True love cannot be built on compliments alone; it must be built of the bad things too.


	21. I'm a Genius For a Reason

'We have to warn the Captain.'

'But vat can ve do? Ve are stuck here, ve have no communicators!'

He winces. Some of his ribs might be cracked. Her face softens.

'And you're hurt. I'm sorry for getting us into this mess, Pavel. I just don't know what to do!'

'Eet's not your fault Ellen. Eet's his. He's a lying, traitorous, ewil bastard! He-'

What follows is a large stream of expletives, both in Standard and Russian.

'Pavel! I didn't even know that you knew all those words!'

He stops.

'We need to get out of here. You worked on improving the Brig three days ago; do you remember anything that might help us?'

_She noticed? She noticed him working here? Even while she was distracted by that jerk? Perhaps, perhaps he did not mean as much to her as he had thought._

He thinks long and hard, while she probes the force field and the wall panels, searching for weaknesses. Neither of them can think of a way out. It seems they are really stuck here.

'I guess zat I did my job too vell. Zis is humiliating! Hawing my own verk used against me!'

'It is, and it's something that _he_ would do. I mean, he manipulated everyone so that they'd be blinded. He let Captain Kirk put everyone on shore leave by playing on the fact that we'd had none for years, which meant that Commander Spock stayed aboard the Enterprise; otherwise he'd have worked it out in no time. Perhaps he thought that we were the next greatest threat after Mr Spock, so he manipulated us against each other. You didn't fall for it, but he manipulated everything so that everyone would think that you were just jealous.'

'I vould be flattered eef he vasn't so ewil.'

He keeps thinking and she keeps searching.

'Pavel! Look at this!'

She's managed to prise open a panel. Pavel recognises it as the very same one that he had ordered to be re-sealed three days ago. Thank God whoever he assigned to complete the task had either forgotten or slacked off. The opened panel exposes a variety of wires, the insulation is damaged and the bare wire shines through.

'If we cut off the power source, then the force field should be shut off. The problem is-'

'Cutting off ze pover source.'

She nods.

'We have no way of cutting any of these wires, nor do we have Phasers or explosives.'

'Explosives? Eef ve could cause an explosion, zen ve vould break ze circuit and deactiwate ze force field.'

'If we short circuited the wires enough, then it should cause enough damage to deactivate the force field. But we've got nothing to short circuit it with!'

She's right. They've got absolutely nothing, except for what they're wearing. They don't have any wire-like metal objects. Then he has a brainwave.

'Ellen, do you have any of zose bobby pins in your hair?'

'Yes, but what does- you're a genius Pavel!'

'I know I am. Ve can use zem to short circuit ze vires.'

She nods.

'It's dangerous though. It could explode and kill us. We have no idea how powerful the explosion would be.'

'Ve don't have any choice. Eet's the only vay. Eet's not a high powered field; eet should not be a big explosion.'

_It's the only thing we can do. We'll succeed or die trying. _

She pulls a few bobby pins out of her hair and places them on his outstretched palm. She looks worried. He didn't say so, but she knows him well enough that he will insists on placing the bobby pins himself, in an attempt to protect her, however futile it may be. She's going to stand right next to him while he does it.

'Ellen, go stand ower zere. Eet-'

She shakes her head and their eyes meet.

_If we die, we die together. I'm not leaving you._

As he prepares to place the pins, pins that will possibly decide the fate of the Enterprise, his hands are shaking slightly. She gently takes them in hers and kisses them.

'I trust you Pavel. You can do it. It's going to work.'

He nods, seemingly not able to speak, but his hands have stopped shaking. He withdraws them from hers and places the bobby pins.

* * *

><p>AN: Apologies if the science behind this is incorrect. I'm an author, not a scientist!<p> 


	22. It's a Trap!

Pavel cries out. Electric shocks are extremely painful. Thank God, thank God that it isn't powerful enough to kill him. Thank goodness it appears that he will be alright. They are lucky. Technology's improvement has made fatal electric shocks a rarity, they cause burns or pain, but death is no longer a major risk.

'Boom!'

There are sparks and a small explosion, and then the force field fizzles out.

'Eet verked!'

She smiles and gives him a quick peck on the lips.

'Let's get out of here.'

He grabs the communicator lying on the desk and speaks into it. He winces as it comes into contact with his burnt hand.

'Keptain! Get out of zere, eet's a trap. Mathison's a traitor!'

They hear the Captain's voice on the other side.

'What? Chekov, what are you talking about? He was captured by pirates only last night!'

'Captain, he is a traitor! He tricked us all! He's paying the pirates, he payed them to kill the Commander, he payed them to steal from the colonists, he payed them to kidnap him and he's paying them to capture all of you so he can steal the Enterprise.'

Thank God the Captain believes them.

'Listen, we have to proceed with this attack. I'll call for reinforcements from Spock; we'll take out these pirates. Mathison has probably snuck away and is lying low somewhere. He'll almost certainly go back to the base; you'll have to take him out. I'll put Scotty in charge of protecting the Enterprise; he won't let anyone steal her.'

'Aye Captain.'

They hear many, many voices echo their words. They're taking out this traitor, no matter what.

* * *

><p>They have reclaimed their Phasers, and are hidden opposite one another in the office of the little Starfleet Base. When the scoundrel steps in, they will take him out. He will not walk out of here a free man. He is not going to win.<p>

They are not kept waiting for long. It is 0810 hours when he enters. He placed too much confidence in his plan. He is met quickly by blasts of Phaser fire. But he is well versed in combat and dodges out of the way.

The battle begins in earnest. Though they outnumber him, Mathison is a combat specialist and hard to beat. Pavel is injured, though he is trying to ignore it, it limits him somewhat. His ribs are almost certainly cracked, and his hand is burned. They are well matched, trapped in a never ending stalemate. Then Pavel has a brainwave. There are_ two_ of them, and only _one_ of him. He remembers who the two are. From his location to Mathison's left, he signals to Ellen.

_Distract him!_

She bobs her head and launches a flying kick at his head. It serves its function. He is distracted. Pavel manages to step in and seize his Phaser in that same second, using moves he taught her. They are weirdly in sync, something that they have discovered over the years, something that has grown to an almost telepathic bond.

Ellen trains her Phaser on Mathison.

'It's over Mathison. The Captain knows all about your little plan. They've got those mercenary brigands of yours all rounded up.'

He laughs. The chilling, evil laugh of a madman.

'He doesn't! He doesn't! You think I wanted to steal the Enterprise and do what with her? Sell her as spare parts? No, no, no, I wanted Command of her! It was a simple enough plan. Lure the Enterprise and her _illustrious_ Captain James T. Kirk here. Have the pirates capture the Crew, kill them, whatever. Then I, Lieutenant Anton Mathison, would step in and save the day! I'd be a hero! And no one would ever suspect a thing!'

'Commander Spock vould!'

'Ah, he would. You see, that was the first thing that went wrong. I didn't realise he was so attached to his wife and son. I thought he would have been killed with your Captain, doing his duty, not staying onboard the Enterprise. I'll have to arrange a little _accident_ I think.'

He doesn't realise he's already failed. He really is mad.

'You didn't manage to fool Pavel.'

'Don't you see? I'm a genius. From what I'd heard, the two of you might well have worked it out.'

'So you turned on the charm.'

She's disgusted at herself for falling for that.

'Yes I did. You're just as smart as your files say.'

'But Pavel still suspected. He wasn't placated.'

'That was the true genius of the plan. He'd appear only the jealous boyfriend, worried that his girl was going to be stolen by a dashing hero! No one would believe him!'

Pavel looks furious. He sets his Phaser to Kill. Ellen shakes her head.

_No. I want him to be punished for everything he's done, but I want him to go to trial! We don't stoop to his level. We're better than that._

He laughs maniacally. Then he bolts for the door. A Phaser blast from her, and then he is still.

Ellen kicks his unconscious form, hard. Pavel winces. That will leave a bruise.

'You jerk! Traitor! Madman! You're a crazy, manipulative bastard and I hate you!'

Mathison is soon shipped off to trial on Earth and a relief is sent to replace him. The triumphant Enterprise Crew depart the pirate-free colony, glad to leave it behind, none so more than Ellen and Pavel. There is just one loose end left to tie up.

'Pavel, how in the world would you know that I always wear bobby pins in my hair?'

'I hate zose things.'

He smirks.

'Zey take too long to take out of your hair.'


	23. But It's Impossible!

'Pavel, this is an impossible task! There is no way to break the bonds between the carbon atoms in a diamond without destroying it, it's impossible! In fact, it's paradoxical!'

He opens his mouth to speak.

'No, there's no alien technology or anything that can do it. You have to accept that some things are impossible. I cannot find the end of Pi, it doesn't exist, it's a non-terminating decimal for a reason! Why are you asking me to do this anyway? If you want to find the end of Pi, do it yourself!'

She turns to leave. He places a hand on her shoulder. His other hand fumbles around for the small box in his pockets.

'Ellen, I am asking you to do impossible things because I vant to prove to you zat some things are impossible!'

'I know some things are impossible, Pavel.'

'I ask you about ze end of Pi and splitting diamond molecules for a reason too. Do you remember ven ve vere on New Wulcan?'

She smiles.

'Of course I remember, like I could forget-'

'You asked me vat our relationship vas. Eet's symbiotic, goes on forewer like Pi, eet's explosive like a chemical reaction, eet's brighter zan ze stars and verking togezer, zere is nothing zat cannot be solved, like an equation. Like diamonds, you cannot break our bond vithout destroying us. I love you more zan chess, wodka, Russia, physics, maths and ze stars, so vill you marry me?'

He pulls out the little box, a precious container that he has carried for three years and two months.

She grins. She looks happier than he's ever seen.

'Yes, Pavel, I will marry you. You didn't have to ask. You should already know the answer.'

He grins as he slips the ring on her finger. It dawns on her why he set her the impossible task. It's a diamond ring, fittingly engraved with Pi. She knows that diamond rings are not traditional in Russia and also that Russian engagements are typically short. How many of his people's customs is he going to follow?

'You vould not be happy eef I voke you up in four months one morning and told you zat ve vere getting married, vould you?'

So he is following one of them. She laughs. In four months, they will be orbiting Delta IV, for repairs and reports, so there's no chance of Klingons crashing the ceremony.

'No, I wouldn't. Our families won't be very happy they're missing the wedding, will they?'

His face falls slightly. Perhaps she wants to wait until they return to Earth. But that's more than a year and a half away. She notices.

'But they've known it was going to happen for years, haven't they?'

'Da. Zey have probably known longer zan us!'

'I can't think of a more fitting place to marry, onboard the Enterprise, in space. We both have a second family here.'

He couldn't agree more. Over the coming months and years, throughout married life, he will find himself agreeing with her a lot.


	24. Weddings and Funerals

'Do you, Pavel Andreievich Chekov, take Ellen Wei-Ling Lee to be your wife, to love, comfort and cherish from this day forth?'

'I do.'

'And do you, Ellen Wei-Ling Lee, take Pavel Andreievich Chekov to be your husband, to love comfort and cherish from this day forth?'

'I do.'

It is with these words that they become husband and wife. It is with these words that they make official what they have known for a quite a long time; that they will be together forever. It is with these words that they seal what the best man has known for longer than they have; that they are going to end up married. Hikaru Sulu smiles. The bridesmaid, Nalinika, returns the smile.

Captain Kirk pronounces them man and wife and orders Pavel to kiss her already. They oblige.

Later, at the Reception in the Mess Hall, Hikaru Sulu proposes a toast to his two young friends.

'We've known for 9 years that this day was going to happen, but that doesn't mean that we aren't going to celebrate just as much! To Pavel and Ellen!'

This is not the first wedding to have occurred onboard the Enterprise. The new Mr and Mrs Chekov, who aren't actually officially called that, as Ellen has kept her maiden name, believe that it means that the bouquet at Spock and Uhura's wedding was wrong. Spock knows better, none of the other brides married these three and a half years were present at his own wedding. Illogically, the flowers were right.

At every wedding, it is traditional for the bride and groom to share a wedding dance. It is also traditional for the bridesmaid and best man to share a dance. This time, the bridesmaid and the best man overshadow the bride and groom. The couple of the moment is Hikaru and Nalinika. Bets are being taken on when _their_ wedding is going to be, however illogical it may be. They have not even dated a year. They have only known each other a couple years. Why are they going to get married anytime soon? But Pavel and Ellen are thoroughly enjoying the turning of the tables, guessing when their two best friends will marry, as it is fairly obvious by now they will.

The bouquet is caught unexpectedly by Nurse Christine Chapel. Every face in the room turns to Bones.

'Damn it, I'm a doctor, not a bridegroom!'

But perhaps he was more ready to marry again then he let on, as the Crew find themselves at another wedding in a few months time.

Captain Kirk is mourning the deaths of his friends' bachelorhoods. Spock, Pavel and Bones are all married, Spock has a son. Hikaru is in a long term relationship and Scotty is practically married to the Enterprise. Though the Engineer is always complaining over women's lack of appreciation for Engineers, he suspects that the Scotsman is more than happy with the Enterprise.

But then comes the wedding dance, and as he steps onto the floor with Janice Rand, the bridesmaid, he changes his mind. Perhaps his friends have the right idea.

It's going to take more than one night to get to know his Yeoman properly. It's been five years, and he doesn't know her as well as he should. It's time she was rewarded for her good work.


	25. Letters From Home

It's the beginning of the fifth year when Ellen receives news from home. It's from Kevin. He's graduated.

_Hey Ellen,_

_I graduated! I wish you were here to see it, mom was crying so much! Everyone was there too; we're all missing you very much. We all heard about your wedding, congratulations! Of course, Aunt Michelle was furious to have missed seeing her only daughter get married! You'd better bring back something to calm her down._

Of course her mother's upset. But it was their choice to get married, and onboard the Enterprise, in space, was the best place she could ever think of. They'd made a recording anyway, she'll give that to her when they get back.

_Why do you have to be so smart? It's annoying! I didn't manage to top the class in three courses and beat you. In fact, I didn't manage to top the class in anything. But I got a good assignment, so it shouldn't matter anyway. I'm now Ensign Kevin Lee, Engineer, aboard the USS Hood. We're leaving soon, so I won't be here when you get back. It could be years before we see each other again..._

Years. That's a long time. She's happy Kevin got the ship assignment he wanted; he's always wanted to be an Engineer. Of course, there was no way he could have topped the class in three courses, but she'd hoped that he'd get one or two. At least he's joking about it. But to have to wait years to see him again, that's hard. But they're in Starfleet and they both knew that they'd not see each other much when they signed up, so it's not a massive shock.

_On the plus side, I won 20 credits off Sarah! Remember, I bet her that you and Pavel would be married by the time I'd graduated?_

She remembers. Those were good times.

_By the way, give him this message from me:_

_Congratulations, cousin-in-law! Look after her, or I'll kill you. I mean it. I do taekwondo too. I'm better than Ellen. Just ask her. I've taken up wushu as well. I'm pretty good if I say so myself. Don't forget about Combat Training. If you knock her up and abandon her, then you've got me to answer to. I'll make sure-_

What follows is a very long stream of expletives and threats. By now, Pavel is rather scared.

'He von't kill me vill he?'

Ellen smiles.

'No, not unless you hurt me or leave me. You're not planning to, are you?'

He shakes his head immediately.

'No! Newer!'

'Then you've got nothing to worry about.'

They finish reading his message.

_Remember to name one of the kids after me!_

_Kevin_

'Do you have any idea how many kids we'd have to have to name them after all the people who've asked?'

He counts in his head.

'About sewen.'

'There is no way we're having seven kids.'

'Agreed. But ve vill name one after my grandfather, right?'

'Of course we will, but we're not naming any more after people.'

'Good. Eef ve vere, ve'd have to get busy.'

She smirks.

'But you wouldn't mind that, would you?'

He has no further comment.


	26. We Are Family

'Ten months. Ve only have ten more months, zen ve are back on Earth.'

Pavel and Ellen are sitting in a Rec Room, looking into space at the stars.

'It will be so good to see our families again. There will be someone new to introduce to them when we get back. They're both getting a new addition. And we've got something to bring back to Mom to placate her now as well.'

'You have already met my family. Zey consider you one of us already. I hardly call zat introducing, and vat do you-'

She laughs.

'And I thought that you understood me well. No, Pavel, I was talking about someone else.'

He looks at her quizzically. He's rather confused. Is this her payback for the impossible puzzle he gave her? Looking at the Stardate, he remembers that it has been exactly one year since the impossible task and his proposal. Perhaps this is her idea of payback. He notices her hand is resting lightly on her stomach.

'Vat? I don't understand! Vait-'

He remembers some of her odd behaviour lately. Eating strange foods, then usually throwing it up again. He thought that she'd just been going through a phase of illness or like of bizarre foods, which made her throw up. He didn't understand why anyone would eat stuff that made them ill. He'd made her go to Sickbay, but she'd said that nothing was wrong. She'd been tired lately too; he'd thought she was overworked. He remembers Lieutenant Uhura behaving like this, could it possibly be-

'Ellen, are you saying zat-'

She's laughing.

'Yes Pavel, I'm pregnant, about two months along.'

There is an absurd expression of joy on his face.

'I'm going to be a papa!'

He dances around, shouting, hugs her and kisses her fiercely.

'Calm down Pavel!'

She's still laughing.

_He's so cheerful. He'll be a great father. If he's so happy now, then imagine when I tell him it's a boy. We'll name him for his grandfather._

In his excitement, he accidentally hits a button on the wall. The door bursts open, revealing Hikaru, Bones, Kirk, Scotty, Spock, Uhura and their little boy, who has only just started walking. It appears they were trying to listen through the door. Spock, as usual, maintaining his dignity, speaks first.

'I apologise for the disturbance, Lieutenants. I assure you that Lieutenant Uhura and I did not intend to overhear your private conversation, we were merely passing by. Our son has recently commenced a new stage of development; he spends much of his waking hours exercising his new abilities.'

Uhura catches on quickly.

'Yes, he was simply walking past, with us following behind, when he fell. We had to help him up, you know toddlers.'

Kirk, rather clumsily, adds his own excuse.

'Um, yeah. And I just happened to pass by and help them out!'

'Damn it, Jim! You're a Captain, not an actor! I was chasing you around, trying to give you your hypos! Wasn't my fault that you had to pick _this_ damn Rec Room to slow down in front of!'

There are no hypos in his hand. Captain Kirk got his monthly contraceptive hypo yesterday.

'Aye. Don't mind me; I was just trying to fix the door! It's malfunctioning.'

They don't bother pointing out to Scotty they would have been able to hear him if he was fixing the door. And the door is obviously working perfectly fine.

'I was looking for my katana! I think I left it in here...'

Ellen laughs and rolls her eyes. She's been laughing a lot lately, Pavel vaguely wonders if it is to do with the hormones. Or perhaps there have simply been a lot of entertaining things happening.

'Hikaru, if you're looking for your katana, it's not here. Why would it be in the Rec Room?'

She doesn't point out that it's clipped to his belt as always. Pavel adds his own view to the conversation.

'You need to verk on your poker faces! You vould zink zat after so many years of poker nights you vould be better! I can teach you, poker faces vere inwented in Russia!'

Ellen glares at him. He's going to have to get used to the mood swings.

'Pavel, you don't have a good poker face either. And they were most certainly not invented in Russia. You're the one who was just dancing around the room a moment ago.'

There is silence. It is broken by Spock.

'Lieutenant, I would advise that you simply agree with Lieutenant Lee, for the purposes of self-preservation. I extend my congratulations to the two of you.'

Uhura steps forward, her son behind her, and embraces Ellen.

'Congratulations!'

To Pavel, she adds a few words of advice.

'Good luck. You're going to need it.'

He gulps.

Even the doctor adds his own congratulations of a sort.

'Damn it, we've got kids having kids. I didn't sign up for this! This is the 23rd century! Teen pregnancy is from the Dark Ages!'

Ellen chooses not to say that Doctor McCoy already knew, as she had gone to see him in Sickbay and he'd already given her his congratulations. He has a reputation to maintain after all.

'Doctor, we're turning 23 this year.'

'Yer still the wee lad and lass of this ship! Congratulations though! There'll be a wee wee lad or lass soon enough!'

'Congratulations! Nali's been saying that this was going to happen since the wedding. Well, I've been saying this day was going to come for ten years now! I called it first!'

Hikaru slaps Pavel on the back. Ellen makes a mental note to ask Hikaru and Nalinika to be the godparents.

Captain Kirk repeats the Helmsman's actions.

'Good work, Chekov. _That_ was quick. Who would think that you'd have kids before me?'

He blushes redder than a tomato. So does Ellen.

'Captain, it is a statistical certainty that you would possess offspring by now had it not been for Doctor McCoy's vigilance.'

Spock is correct. If McCoy had not made sure the Captain got his monthly contraceptive hypo, there would be little Kirks running around by now. Spock's comment causes laughter from the little group of friends.

Ellen and Pavel look around the room, at their womanising Captain, the logical First Officer, the feisty Communications Officer, the sandwich-loving, scotch-drinking Chief Engineer, the grumpy Doctor and the fencing and botany loving Helmsman.

_There are actually three families to break the news to. This is the first._

* * *

><p><em>"Space... The final frontier...<em>

_These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise._

_Its continuing mission:_

_To explore strange new worlds..._

_To seek out new life; new civilisations..._

_To boldly go where no one has gone before!"_

* * *

><p>AN: It's a wrap! This is the very last chapter of the very last story of the Confessions of a Teenage Starfleet Cadet, A Tale of Two Ensigns and Diary of a Lieutenant To Be trilogy. I'm sorry, but there's not going to be any more. I'm sure this time!<p>

But I do have other Star Trek stories in the works, and Ellen will make little cameo appearances in them, as it is now very hard to write Chekov without her. They've taken over my imagination!

Thanks to everyone for reading! An extra big thank you to All Cats Are Grey, angel's lil devil angel, curlycarly113, Phoenix Crystal, sheeponthemoon, socrgrl14, The Sentiness, Maudlin Mush, Reviewer, snatchthesnitch and stephiepoodle for reviewing/story alerting/favouriting! Thank you very much for all the support, I'm very glad and rather relieved that you all enjoyed the story!

This is TheGirlWhoRemembers, signing off!

Disclaimer: I'm an author, not the owner of Star Trek. Would I seriously be doing this if I owned it?


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